2002 BREEDING BIRD SURVEYS AT THE IDAHO NATIONAL
ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY
Prepared for:
S.M. Stoller Corporation
1780 First Street
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
By:
Ethan A. Ellsworth
Department of Biology
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
i
Executive Summary
From 10-23 June 2002, 13 permanent survey routes located at the Idaho National
Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) were censused for birds. A 14th route
established in 1997, IRR Circle, was surveyed on June 15, 2002. A total of 5,808
individuals representing 60 species of birds was recorded along the 13 permanent routes.
This is above the average of 4,590.4 birds/year recorded from 1985-2001, and the highest
total recorded since 1998. However, high numbers of birds counted on the site were buoyed
considerably by a record number of two species: Franklin’s Gull and Horned Lark. These
two species comprised 34.2% of all birds counted, and most of the 764 Franklin’s Gulls
were observed off-site on a nearby alfalfa field. Counts of Horned Larks have increased in
recent years, most likely as a result of large fires in recent years and the conversion of
sagebrush habitat to grasslands. Species of special concern recorded in 2002 included Long-
billed Curlew (N = 1), Ferruginous Hawk (N = 14), Swainson’s Hawk (N = 2), and
Loggerhead Shrike (N = 22). As in recent years (1996-2001), none of the species observed
in 2002 were 2.5 or more standard deviations below long-term (1985 – 2001) average
abundance, although several species recorded in previous years were not observed in 2002.
ii
Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………….. i
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Study Area…………………………………………………………………………………. 2
Methods………………………………………………………………………….………… 3
Results and Discussion…………………………………………………………………….. 5
Bird abundance and species richness……………………………………………… 5
Habitat and species assemblages…………………………………………………….9
Species of special concern………………………………………………………… 10
Summary………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………… 10
Literature Cited……………………………………………………………….…………… 11
Appendix A - Summary of Species by Route
1
Introduction
The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a roadside route survey of
avifauna designed to monitor abundance and distribution of birds in the
United States and southern Canada. It began in the eastern U.S. in 1966
but is now nationwide in scope, with approximately 3700 annual survey
routes (see United States Geological Survey (USGS) BBS data; web site: www.mbr-
pwrc.gov/bbs/bbs.html). Data from these censuses are one of the main sources of
information on avian population trends across the continent. Because methods are
standardized, comparisons across years and regions of the country are possible, and a variety
of local or regional assessments have been conducted (e.g., Geissler and Noon 1981, Holmes
and Sherry 1988, Sauer and Droege 1990, Sauer et al. 2000).
BBS surveys have helped document population changes in the avifauna of the eastern
U.S. (e.g., Sauer and Droege 1990, Askins et al. 1990, Finch and Stangel 1992, Hagan and
Johnston 1992), but patterns of population change in western states have remained
understudied in comparison. Insufficient route coverage over much of the western U.S. has
limited attempts to compare trends in BBS data for populations of many western species
(Sauer and Droege 1992). For comparison, Idaho has 62 BBS routes, while New York has
120, Minnesota 88, and Florida 136 routes (USGS BBS data). Moreover, BBS routes in
shrubsteppe and grassland habitats are uncommon, despite apparent widespread declines in
avifauna (Paige 1990, Sauer et al. 2000). In Idaho, approximately 20 BBS routes are
surveyed in shrubsteppe and grassland habitat in southern Idaho, including 12 in
southeastern Idaho.
2
The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), located in
southeastern Idaho, is comprised of large expanses of relatively undisturbed shrubsteppe and
grassland habitat. This area was designated as a National Environmental Research Park in
1975 and serves as an outdoor laboratory to assess environmental impacts of nuclear energy
development technologies. Since 1985, official BBS and modified “mini-routes” have been
surveyed at the INEEL. These surveys have yielded useful information about population
dynamics, effects of weather and fire on avian abundance, effects of INEEL facilities on
avifauna, and the breeding status of a number of bird species of concern, including
sagebrush obligate species and other species exhibiting declines throughout their range (e.g.,
see Belthoff and Ellsworth 1996, 1999 and 2000, Belthoff et al. 1998, and Ellsworth 2001).
This report summarizes results of 2002 surveys at the INEEL and briefly compares
findings to those from previous years. Common names for bird species are used throughout
the report but scientific names are given in Figure 1.
Study Area
The 2,315 km2 INEEL is located approximately 48 km west of Idaho Falls on the upper
Snake River Plain in southeastern Idaho, and occupies portions of Bingham, Bonneville,
Butte, Clark, and Jefferson counties. The area is a semiarid, cold desert with an average
elevation of approximately 1500 m above sea level. Anderson et al. (1996) detailed the
climate, geology, and vegetation of the INEEL. Briefly, vegetation in the study area is
typical of shrubsteppe ecosystems and is dominated by woody, mid-height shrubs and
perennial bunchgrasses. Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) dominates much of the
vegetation on the site, but other principle shrubs include Green Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus
viscidiflorus), Shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia), and Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata).
3
Large tracts of grasslands are dominated by Squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), Thickspike
Wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus), Needle and Thread Grass (Hesperostipa comata),
Ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), and Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum).
Basalt lava flows dominate the geology of the region, and the topography is flat to gently
rolling, with the exception of East and Middle Butte, which protrude from the southern
portion of the area. Southern extensions of two of the largest mountain ranges in Idaho (Lost
River and Lemhi Mountains) rise above the INEEL site and Snake River Plain to the north
and west. The study area experiences hot, dry summers and cold winters (Short 1986).
Annual precipitation averages approximately 20 cm, and most of this occurs during the
spring and winter. Surface water in the summer is limited to residual flows of the Big Lost
River and Birch Creek, each of which are diverted upstream of the site for agriculture and
flood prevention. During the spring, the Big Lost River flows into an ephemeral wetland
known as the Lost River Sinks, which can provide nesting and migratory stop-over habitat
for waterfowl and shorebirds. Several human-made waste-water treatment ponds occur near
research facilities and attract birds that prefer aquatic habitats as well.
Methods
From 10-23 June 2002, 13 permanent routes and one recently established route were
surveyed for birds. These included five 40-km remote routes that traverse the major habitat
types throughout remote areas of the site. These were standard BBS routes, from which data
are reported to the U.S.G.S., Biological Resources Division annually. Standard BBS
protocol (Robbins et al. 1986) was followed in completing each of these surveys. Briefly, I
drove routes in a four-wheel drive vehicle and recorded the number of individuals of each
bird species detected during 3-min observation sessions at each stop. Surveys began
4
approximately 30 minutes before sunrise. Stops were located every 0.8 km (0.5 miles), and I
counted birds within a 0.4 km radius. Eight shorter facility complex routes, located in and
around major INEEL facility complexes, ranged from 5.8 - 19.2 km in length. Surveys along
the shorter facility complex routes were similar to remote routes, except that stops were
closer together (0.32 km) and I counted birds within a 0.15-km radius. An additional survey
route (IRR Circle; containing six stops 0.32 km apart) was established in 1997 around the
irrigation circle, located near the Central Facilities Area (CFA). This area is part of an
experiment designed to monitor how waste-water management affects flora and fauna. I
recorded temperature, wind speed, and cloud cover at the start and end of each survey.
Surveys are to be performed only when weather conditions were satisfactory as prescribed by
the BBS protocol, and in 2002 no surveys were postponed because of inclement weather.
Routes took from approximately 50 min to 6 h to complete.
The five remote routes were surveyed on the following dates in 2002: Twin Buttes -10
June, Kyle Canyon - 12 June, Big Lost River - 19 June, Circular Butte – 20, June Tractor
Flats -21 June.
Facility Complex routes were surveyed on the following dates in 2002: ICPP - 11 June,
RWMC - 14 June, CFA - 15 June, TAN - 16 June, PBF- SPERT – 17 June, NRF - 18 June,
EBRII - 22 June, TRA - 23 June. The newly established route, IRR Circle, was surveyed
using facility route protocol on after completion of the CFA route; therefore, the survey did
not begin one-half hour before sunrise as other routes had. Results for IRR Circle are in
Appendix A but are not summarized here because of differences in survey protocol and lack
of data from previous years for comparison. Means and standard deviations are presented
throughout this report.
5
Results and Discussion
Bird abundance and species richness
Abundance ⎯ A total of 5,808 individual birds was recorded along
the 13 survey routes (Table 1). This is the fourth highest total
recorded (see Figure 1) and well above the 1985-2001 average of
4,590.4 birds/year (no surveys were conducted in 1992 or 1993). The total number of birds
counted during surveys is now 74,390 and the average per year is 4,649.4 (1985-2002).
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Nu
mbe
r of
bir
ds
85 86 87 88 89 90 91 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02
Year
Figure 1. Total number of birds recorded by year (1985-2002) along 13 permanent routes at
the INEEL.
2002 marked a reversal in a 3-year downward trend in the number of birds counted at the
site. This is notable, in part, because the spring of 2002 was dry and fewer birds are usually
counted when there is little spring moisture, and the highest numbers of birds are typically
counted in years with greater spring moisture (Belthoff & Ellsworth 2000). The high
numbers of birds counted in 2002, however, does not necessarily reflect large numbers of
birds counted among all taxa. Several species were at or below long-term averages and the
6
relative abundance of a number of birds species continued to decline in the last 3 years.
Instead, the total count was inflated by record numbers of Horned Lark and Franklin’s Gull.
In fact, most of the Franklin’s Gulls were counted adjacent to INEEL property in an alfalfa
field that was recently mowed. Franklin’s Gulls typically forage on large bodied insects and
congregate on the INEEL in years of large cicada hatches in sagebrush areas. However, no
observations of gulls foraging at the site were made in 2002 during BBS surveys, although a
few were seen flying overhead. The record number of Horned Lark also buoyed the grand
totals, as their total was 34% above average (see Figure 2). The recent increase is not
surprising as Horned Lark are a dominant component of grasslands on the INEEL, and fires
in recent years (particularly 2000) have converted large areas of sagebrush to grasslands.
Likely, Horned Lark will continue to dominate the avifauna of the INEEL, and other species
that nest in grasslands and low shrubs should increase in number as well (i.e., Grasshopper
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
85 86 87 88 89 90 91 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02
sagebrush obligates
Horned Lark
Year
Nu
mb
er
of
bird
s
d
Figure 2. Total number of sagebrush obligates (Brewer’s Sparrows, Sage Sparrows and Sage
Thrashers) and Horned Larks recorded by year at the INEEL from 1985-2002.
Sparrow and Vesper Sparrow). At the same time, however, fire has reduced sagebrush
habitat on the INEEL, which is the primary nesting and foraging habitat for many bird
7
species, including the sagebrush obligates (Brewer’s Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, Sage
Thrasher). Indeed, a recent downward trend in the number of sagebrush obligate species
counted (Figure 2) is consistent with the notion that sagebrush habitat is being lost and may
be negatively effecting these populations of birds. Although large expanses of sagebrush
habitat remain of the INEEL and fire is a natural part of the ecosystem of the Snake River
Plain, concern for the preservation of sagebrush habitat is valid given that much of this
habitat in the region has been lost and converted to agriculture or development. At the very
least, further sagebrush habitat loss should continue to be monitored.
Waterfowl counts at the INEEL were also low in 2002, which is characteristic of dry
springs when the Lost River and associated sinks are dried up by the time surveys are
performed in June. The general pattern is that when the Lost River and sinks hold water into
June, waterfowl is abundant and high numbers of waterfowl are counted. Conversely, few
waterfowl are counted in low moisture years; in 2002 no waterfowl were observed on the
Lost River and the only waterfowl observed were at the facility wastewater treatment areas.
Several species observed in six or more previous years were absent in 2002,
including Burrowing Owl, Mountain Bluebird, Lark Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, House
Sparrows, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagle, and Willet.
Overall, there were 446.8 142.3 (N = 13) birds per route. The average number of birds
per route was greater for remote routes (727.0 112.7, N = 5) than for facility complex
routes (271.6.0 82.1, N = 5), and the average number of birds per stop was greater for
remote routes (14.5 7.8) than for facility routes (8.9 1.3; Table 2). Appendix A contains
a list of species observed and their relative abundance along the 13 survey routes and the
IRR Circle.
8
Overall, the five most numerous species in order of abundance were Horned Larks,
Western Meadowlarks, Franklin’s Gulls, Brewer's Sparrows, and Sage Thrashers. The
inclusion of Franklin’s Gulls in this group is unusual, as they are not typically one of the
most common species and are absent in most years on the INEEL (see Ellsworth 2001). In
most years the other four species plus Sage Sparrows are the most frequently counted
species, and comprise 71.3% of all birds detected from 1985-2001.
Species Richness - In 2002, the total of 60 species detected during surveys was above the
average of 55.5 7.5 recorded from 1985-2001 (Figure 3). One new species for the BBS
surveys, the Black-necked Stilt, was observed at an Argonne facility pond, and the total
number of species detected along the routes (1985-2002) is 113. In 2002, there were 19.7
2.1 species per route, and nearly the same number of species were recorded along remote
routes (19.6 3.0) as facility routes (19.8 2.2). The fewest number of species (N = 15)
were observed along the Circular Butte and Lost River routes, while the NRF route had the
greatest number of species (N = 25).
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Nu
mb
er
of
sp
ec
ies
85 86 87 88 89 90 91 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02
Year
Figure 3. Total number of species recorded by year (1985-2002 along 13 permanent survey
routes at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
9
Habitat and species assemblages
A limited assemblage of breeding bird species that are typical of sagebrush steppe or
grassland communities within the Snake River Plain dominate the avifuana of the INEEL.
These species include native species such as the ubiquitous Western Meadowlark, Mourning
Dove, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Nighthawk, Common Raven, the sagebrush
obligates, Rock Wrens within rocky outcrops, and Horned Larks and Vesper Sparrows in the
grasslands. Other less common, but widespread species include the Common Poorwill,
Loggerhead Shrike, Grasshopper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Short-eared Owl, Burrowing Owl,
Great-horned Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Prairie Falcon,
and Golden Eagle. There also exist, however, several other bird species that are not usually
found in the sage or grasslands and are principally relegated to a variety of other distinct
habitat types. For example, there are species of birds that are found on the INEEL only in
junipers in patches near the buttes or along the base of the Lemhi and Lost River Mountains.
These species, including Chipping Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Gray Flycatcher, are
counted at the same sites every year and nowhere else. Waterfowl and shorebirds are
another group of birds that has limited distribution on the INEEL, either in natural areas
along the Lost River (when it contains water) or in man-made ponds near the facilities.
An additional array of bird species that are not found in the natural habitats of the
INEEL are attracted to the facilities where there is permanent water, different food resources,
and buildings and planted trees for nest sites. These species include House Finch, Barn
Swallow, American Robin, and Bullock’s Oriole. Most of these species are native to well-
watered areas within the Snake River Plain and/or surrounding mountains, but the facilities
also provide habitat for non-natives such as the Rock Dove, House Sparrow, and European
10
Starling. Finally, there are such birds, such as the Brewer’s Blackbird, Black-billed Magpie,
and Say’s Phoebe that can be found near the facilities and in natural areas.
Species of special concern
Species of special concern observed during the 2002 census included Long-billed Curlew
(N = 1), Ferruginous Hawk (N = 14), Swainson’s Hawk (N = 2), and Loggerhead Shrike (N
= 22; Table 1). The INEEL continues to support species of birds that are low or declining in
number throughout the Intermountain West.
Summary
A relatively high number of birds were counted along the BBS routes at the INEEL
in 2002. However, record numbers of Horned Lark and Franklin’s Gull were observed,
boosting the overall total of birds considerably. Franklin’s Gulls were one of the five most
abundance species on the INEEL for the first time since 1989, but were mainly observed off-
site. Widespread and increasing populations of Horned Larks is not surprising in lieu of
recent fires that have converted extensive areas from sagebrush to the grasslands that Horned
Larks use. Most other bird species populations were comparable in number to recent years
including sagebrush obligates and species of special concern. The average number of birds
per route was greater for remote routes than for facility complex routes.
Acknowledgments
I thank the S.M. Stoller Corporation and the U.S. Department of Energy-Idaho for their
interest in this long-term project and for funding and facilitating my participation in the
Breeding Bird Surveys. For logistical support, I am grateful to all the employees at S.M.
Stoller in Idaho Falls, particularly Doug Halford and Sue Majors. For assistance in the field
I thank Jade Dyde, Ashlee Majors, Sue Majors, and Christopher Vilord.
11
Literature Cited
Anderson, J.E., K.T. Ruppel, J.M. Glennon, K.E. Holte, and R.C. Rope. 1996. Plant
communities, ethnoecology, and flora of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
ESRF-005, Environmental Science and Research Foundation, Idaho Falls.
Askins, R.A., J.F. Lynch, and R. Greenberg. 1990. Population declines in migratory birds in
eastern North America. Current Ornith. 7:1-57.
Belthoff, J.R., and E.A. Ellsworth. 1996. 1996 Breeding bird surveys at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. Unpubl. Tech. Rept., Environmental Science and Research
Foundation, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Belthoff, J.R., and E.A. Ellsworth. 1999. 1999 Breeding bird surveys at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. Unpubl. Tech. Rept., Environmental Science and Research
Foundation, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Belthoff, J.R., and E.A. Ellsworth. 2000. 2000 Breeding bird surveys at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. Unpubl. Tech. Rept., Environmental Science and Research
Foundation, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Belthoff, J.R., L.R. Powers, and T.D. Reynolds. 1998. Breeding birds at the Idaho National
Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, 1985 - 1991. Great Bas. Natural. 58:167-
183.
Ellsworth, E.A. 2001. 2001 Breeding bird surveys at the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory. Unpubl. Tech. Rept., S.M. Stoller Corp., Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Finch, D.M., and P.W. Stangel (eds.). 1992. Status and management of neotropical
migratory birds. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rept. TM-229.
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ft. Collins, Colorado. 422 pp.
12
Geissler, P.H., and B.R. Noon. 1981. Estimates of avian population trends from the North
American Breeding Bird Survey. Studies in Avian Biology 6:42-51.
Hagan, J.M., and D.W. Johnston (eds.). 1992. Ecology and conservation of neotropical
migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 609 pp.
Holmes, R.T., and T.W. Sherry. 1988. Assessing population trends of New Hampshire
forest birds: local vs. regional patterns. Auk 105:756-768.
Paige, L.C. 1990. Population trends of songbirds in western North America. Unpubl. M.S.
Thesis, Univ. of Montana, Missoula. 143 pp.
Robbins, C.S., D. Bystrak, and P.H. Geissler. 1986. The Breeding Bird Survey: its first
fifteen years, 1965-1979. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Pub. 157. 196 pp.
Sauer, J.R., and S. Droege (eds.). 1990. Survey designs and statistical methods for the
estimation of avian population trends. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report
90. 166 pp.
Sauer, J. R., and S. Droege. 1992. Geographic patterns in population trends of neotropical
migrants in North America. Pages 26-42 in J. M. Hagan, III and D. W. Johnston, eds.,
Ecology and conservation of neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution
Press, Washington, D.C.
Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, I. Thomas, J. Fallon, and G.Gough. 2000. The North American
Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966-1999. Version 98.1, USGS Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.
Short, H.L. 1986. Rangelands. Pages 93-122 in A.Y. Cooperrider, R.J. Boyd, and H.R.
Stuart, eds., Inventory and monitoring of wildlife habitat. U.S. Department of Interior,
Bureau of Land Management Service Center, Denver, Colorado.
13
Table 1. Birds observed along 13 Breeding Bird Survey routes at the Idaho National
Engineering and Environmental Laboratory during the 2000, 2001, and 2002 census.
Population trends over the three-year period are indicated for each species by positive or
negative symbols or a zero if there was no trend.
Common Name Scientific Name 2002 2001 2000 3-year trend
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris 1222 892 859 +
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 799 773 844 o
Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan 764 43 0 +
Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri 674 579 709 o
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus 486 414 497 o
Sage Sparrow Amphispiza belli 396 404 601 -
Brown-headed
Cowbird Molothrus ater 233 205 318 o
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 211 130 280 o
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus 198 196 234 o
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus 166 147 132 +
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 60 35 36 o
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor 57 70 69 o
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus 56 57 78 -
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 55 33 33 +
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 43 45 52 -
Common Raven Corvus corax 38 27 53 o
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor 36 8 9 +
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus 32 26 22 +
14
American Robin Turdus migratorius 30 27 6 +
Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii 23 21 14 +
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus 22 15 24 o
Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis 14 12 9 +
California Gull Larus californicus 14 2 1 +
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia 13 11 13 o
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina 13 26 11 o
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 13 7 7 +
Black-billed Magpie Pica pica 11 4 13 o
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum 11 9 6 +
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia 11 4 1 +
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya 9 15 18 -
Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonotoa 8 0 2 o
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 8 0 0 +
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus 8 6 13 o
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 7 11 13 -
Sage Grouse Centrocercus urophasianus 7 0 9 o
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 6 1 3 o
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 6 6 10 -
Rock Dove Columba livia 6 6 7 -
Gadwall Anas Strepera 6 2 2 +
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera 4 2 0 +
15
American Kestrel Falco sparverius 3 9 12 -
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 3 8 0 o
Shoveler Anas clypeata 2 0 2 o
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 2 4 6 -
Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 2 0 5 o
Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni 2 3 2 o
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana 2 0 7 o
Canada Goose Branta canadensis 2 0 0 +
Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus 2 1 0 +
Yellow-headed Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Blackbird 2 0 0 +
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus 1 1 0 o
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus 1 2 6 -
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 1 0 0 +
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 1 0 9 o
Bullock’s Oriole Icterus galbula 1 2 0 o
Redhead Aythya valisineria 1 0 0 +
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 1 0 0 +
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus 1 0 0 +
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus 1 8 4 o
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 1 0 3 o
Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii 0 4 0 o
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus 0 2 1 o
16
House Sparrow Passer domesticus 0 1 5 -
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 0 1 0 o
Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys 0 0 9 -
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis 0 0 5 -
Gray Partridge Perdix perdix 0 0 4 -
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia 0 0 1 -
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 0 0 1 -
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides 0 0 1 -
2002 TOTAL: 5,808 individuals
60 species
17
Table 2. Number of species, number of individual birds, and average number of individuals
per stop along Remote Routes (N = 5) and Facility Complex Routes (N = 8) at the INEEL in
2002.
Route Stops Species N Birds/Stop
Remote Routes
Circular Butte
(Monument) 50 15 529 10.6
Kyle Canyon 50 22 458 9.2
Lost River 50 19 484 9.7
Tractor Flats 50 23 1637 32.7
Twin Buttes 50 19 527 10.5
Subtotal 250 39 3635 14.5
Facility Complex Routes
CFA 42 19 334 7.9
EBRII 18 23 213 11.8
ICPP/INTEC 25 17 220 8.8
NRF 20 25 230 11.5
PBF-SPERT 28 16 284 10.1
RWMC 20 21 161 8.1
TAN 60 18 465 7.8
TRA 32 19 266 8.3
Subtotal 245 37 2173 8.9
TOTAL 495 60 5,808 11.7
18
A - 1
Appendix A
Summary of Species by Route
(2002)
A - 2
Survey Route: TWIN BUTTES
Survey Date: 10 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 134 30.4
Western Meadowlark 128 29.3
Brewer's Sparrow 72 16.1
Sage Thrasher 55 12.1
Sage Sparrow 49 10.9
Brown-headed Cowbird 36 7.9
Mourning Dove 20 4.4
Vesper Sparrow 5 1.1
Gray Flycatcher 5 1.1
Common Raven 5 1.1
Common Nighthawk 4 0.9
Loggerhead Shrike 4 0.9
American Robin 3 0.6
Green-tailed Towhee 2 0.4
Lark Sparrow 1 0.2
Western Tanager 1 0.2
Northern Flicker 1 0.2
Red-tailed Hawk 1 0.2
Ferruginous Hawk 1 0.2
Total Individuals = 452
Total Species = 19
A - 3
Survey Route: BIG LOST RIVER
Survey Date: 19 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 245 50.6
Western Meadowlark 64 13.2
Brewer's Sparrow 42 8.7
Sage Sparrow 33 6.8
Sage Thrasher 25 5.2
Brewer’s Blackbird 14 2.9
Mourning Dove 13 2.7
Vesper Sparrow 12 2.5
Brown-headed Cowbird 10 2.1
Sage Grouse 6 1.2
Rock Wren 5 1.0
Common Raven 4 0.8
Common Nighthawk 2 0.4
Loggerhead Shrike 2 0.2
Red-tailed Hawk 2 0.2
Ferruginous Hawk 2 0.2
American Robin 1 0.1
Bullock’s Oriole 1 0.1
Say’s Phoebe 1 0.1
Total Individuals = 484
Total Species = 19
A - 4
Survey Route: KYLE CANYON
Survey Date: 12 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 101 21.9
Brewer's Sparrow 72 15.6
Western Meadowlark 58 12.6
Sage Sparrow 52 11.2
Sage Thrasher 43 9.3
Vesper Sparrow 39 8.4
Mourning Dove 18 3.9
Gray Flycatcher 18 3.9
Chipping Sparrow 13 2.8
Ferruginous Hawk 10 2.2
Loggerhead Shrike 7 1.5
Brown-headed Cowbird 5 1.1
American Robin 5 1.1
Common Raven 3 0.7
Lark Sparrow 3 0.7
Black-billed Magpie 3 0.7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 0.4
Red-tailed Hawk 2 0.4
Rough-winged Swallow 2 0.4
Brewer's Blackbird 2 0.4
Rock Wren 1 0.2
Long-billed Curlew 1 0.2
Common Nighthawk 1 0.2
Canada Goose 1 0.2
Total Individuals = 462
Total Species = 24
A - 5
Survey Route: CIRCULAR BUTTE
Survey Date: 20 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 155 29.0
Western Meadowlark 117 21.9
Brewer's Sparrow 86 16.1
Sage Sparrow 50 9.4
Sage Thrasher 43 8.1
Brown-headed Cowbird 31 5.8
Vesper Sparrow 12 2.2
Mourning Dove 11 2.1
Rock Wren 10 1.9
Common Raven 5 1.0
Franklin’s Gull 3 0.6
Loggerhead Shrike 2 0.4
Brewer’s Blackbird 2 0.4
Sage Grouse 1 0.2
Common Nighthawk 1 0.2
Total Individuals = 534
Total Species = 15
A - 6
Survey Route: TRACTOR FLATS
Survey Date: 21 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Franklin’s Gull 761 46.4
Horned Lark 224 13.7
Western Meadowlark 142 8.7
Brewer's Sparrow 125 7.6
Sage Thrasher 85 5.2
Mourning Dove 78 4.8
Sage Sparrow 50 3.1
Brown-headed Cowbird 49 3.0
Vesper Sparrow 48 2.9
Common Nighthawk 17 1.0
California Gull 14 0.9
Black-billed Magpie 8 0.5
Common Raven 7 0.4
Northern Harrier 7 0.4
American Crow 6 0.4
European Starling 5 0.3
Loggerhead Shrike 3 0.2
Swainson’s Hawk 2 0.1
Grasshopper Sparrow 2 0.1
Short-eared Owl 1 <0.1
Ferruginous Hawk 1 <0.1
Red-tailed Hawk 1 <0.1
American Kestrel 1 <0.1
Total Individuals = 1637
Total Species = 23
A - 7
Survey Route: ICPP
Survey Date: 11 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Brewer's Sparrow 56 25.5
Horned Lark 45 20.5
Sage Thrasher 41 18.4
Western Meadowlark 26 11.8
Sage Sparrow 20 9.1
Brown-headed Cowbird 5 2.3
European Starling 5 2.3
House Finch 4 1.8
Brewer's Blackbird 4 1.8
Rock Wren 4 1.8
Common Nighthawk 2 0.9
Mourning Dove 2 0.9
Killdeer 2 0.9
Vesper Sparrow 1 0.5
Common Raven 1 0.5
Loggerhead Shrike 1 0.5
Violet-green Swallow 1 0.5
Total Individuals = 220
Total Species = 17
A - 8
Survey Route: CFA
Survey Date: 15 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Western Meadowlark 58 17.3
Brewer's Sparrow 40 11.9
Sage Sparrow 37 11.0
Sage Thrasher 36 10.7
Horned Lark 26 7.8
Brown-headed Cowbird 24 7.2
Brewer's Blackbird 23 6.9
American Robin 16 4.8
Killdeer 16 4.9
Barn Swallow 11 3.3
House Finch 10 3.0
European Starling 10 3.0
Common Nighthawk 9 2.7
Mourning Dove 8 2.4
Say’s Phoebe 3 0.9
Common Raven 2 0.6
American Kestrel 2 0.6
Grasshopper Sparrow 2 0.6
Western Kingbird 1 0.3
Total Individuals = 335
Total Species = 19
A - 9
Survey Route: TRA
Survey Date: 23 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 51 19.2
Brewer’s Blackbird 48 18.0
Western Meadowlark 46 17.3
Sage Thrasher 24 9.0
European Starling 15 5.6
Brewer's Sparrow 12 4.5
Brown-headed Cowbird 11 4.1
Sage Sparrow 11 4.1
Mourning Dove 11 4.1
Vesper Sparrow 10 3.8
Killdeer 6 2.3
American Robin 4 1.5
House Finch 4 1.5
Red-winged Blackbird 3 1.1
Barn Swallow 3 1.1
Common Raven 3 1.1
Common Nighthawk 2 0.8
Rock Wren 1 0.4
Mallard 1 0.4
Total Individuals = 266
Total Species = 19
A - 10
Survey Route: EBRII
Survey Date: 22 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Western Meadowlark 31 14.5
Horned Lark 25 11.7
Brewer's Sparrow 18 8.5
Sage Thrasher 18 8.5
Wilson’s Phalarope 15 7.0
Killdeer 14 6.6
Sage Sparrow 13 6.1
Brewer's Blackbird 13 6.1
Barn Swallow 10 4.7
Mourning Dove 8 3.8
Brown-headed Cowbird 8 3.8
Common Nighthawk 8 3.8
European Starling 8 3.8
House Finch 7 3.3
Spotted Sandpiper 4 1.9
Cinnamon Teal 3 1.4
Western Kingbird 2 0.9
American Avocet 2 0.9
Rock Wren 2 0.9
Black-necked Stilt 1 0.5
Shoveler 1 0.5
Ruddy Duck 1 0.5
American Robin 1 0.5
Total Individuals = 213
Total Species = 23
A - 11
Survey Route: NRF
Survey Date: 18 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 59 25.7
Western Meadowlark 36 15.7
Brewer's Sparrow 18 7.8
Sage Sparrow 14 6.1
Brown-headed Cowbird 13 5.7
Brewer's Blackbird 9 3.9
Wilson’s Phalarope 9 3.9
Mourning Dove 9 3.9
Killdeer 9 3.9
Sage Thrasher 8 3.5
House Finch 7 3.0
Blue-winged Teal 7 3.0
Barn Swallow 6 2.6
European Starling 5 2.2
Red-winged Blackbird 4 1.7
Spotted Sandpiper 4 1.7
Common Nighthawk 3 1.3
Rock Wren 2 0.9
Vesper Sparrow 2 0.9
Cinnamon Teal 1 0.4
Redhead 1 0.4
Shoveler 1 0.4
Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 0.4
Loggerhead Shrike 1 0.4
Say’s Phoebe 1 0.4
Total Individuals = 230
Total Species = 25
A - 12
Survey Route: PBF-SPERT
Survey Date: 17 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Brewer's Sparrow 56 19.7
Western Meadowlark 45 15.8
Sage Thrasher 45 15.8
Brown-headed Cowbird 29 10.2
Horned Lark 27 9.5
Brewer’s Blackbird 27 9.5
Sage Sparrow 23 8.1
Vesper Sparrow 6 2.1
Common Raven 6 2.1
House Finch 5 1.8
European Starling 4 1.4
Mourning Dove 3 1.1
Barn Swallow 2 0.7
Common Nighthawk 2 0.7
Say’s Phoebe 2 0.7
Rock Wren 2 0.7
Total Individuals = 284
Total Species = 16
A - 13
Survey Route: RWMC
Survey Date: 14 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Brewer's Sparrow 20 12.4
Horned Lark 17 10.6
Sage Thrasher 16 9.9
House Finch 13 8.1
Wilson’s Phalarope 12 7.5
Sage Sparrow 9 5.6
Western Meadowlark 8 5.0
Killdeer 8 5.0
Cliff Swallow 8 5.0
Barn Swallow 7 4.3
Gadwall 6 3.7
Mallard 6 3.7
Red-winged Blackbird 6 3.7
Mourning Dove 6 3.7
Common Nighthawk 6 3.7
Spotted Sandpiper 3 1.9
Rock Wren 3 1.9
Say’s Phoebe 2 1.2
Blue-winged Teal 2 1.2
European Starling 2 1.2
Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 0.6
Total Individuals = 161
Total Species = 21
A - 14
Survey Route: TAN
Survey Date: 16 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Horned Lark 112 24.1
Vesper Sparrow 63 13.5
Brewer's Sparrow 57 12.3
Sage Thrasher 49 10.5
Western Meadowlark 40 8.6
Sage Sparrow 35 7.5
Brewer's Blackbird 26 5.6
Mourning Dove 24 5.2
Bank Swallow 13 2.8
Brown-headed Cowbird 12 2.6
Grasshopper Sparrow 7 1.5
Rock Dove 6 1.3
European Starling 6 1.3
House Finch 6 1.3
Barn Swallow 4 0.9
Common Raven 2 0.4
Rock Wren 2 0.4
Northern Harrier 1 0.2
Total Individuals = 465
Total Species = 18
A - 15
Survey Route: IRR CIRCLE**
Survey Date: 15 June 2002
Species Abundance Percentage
Western Meadowlark 14 23.3
Brown-headed Cowbird 9 15.0
Brewer's Sparrow 9 15.0
Brewer's Blackbird 8 13.3
Horned Lark 8 13.3
Sage Thrasher 6 10.0
Killdeer 3 5.0
Northern Harrier 1 1.7
Vesper Sparrow 1 1.7
Red-winged Blackbird 1 1.7
Total Individuals = 60
Total Species = 10
**Established in 1997.